(Un)Broken Loyalty
by MageofDuality
Summary: "We could no longer serve under her rule. But we feared what she may do if we tried to leave, and we wanted to hinder her. We ... We just had to stop her somehow."


The sun glared down upon the village as the sounds of labor and commerce could faintly be heard from Talizin's position upon the meager walls of the town. He swept his green eyes over the city, taking in what bits of domestic life he could, seeing various members of the Horde buying, selling, or simply chatting. A soft breeze ruffled his purple and blue robes, and his long spiky silver hair, sighing softly as he clenched his fists and hardened his gaze. Hearing thudding footsteps, he turned to see a large figure adorned in black and gray armor that was littered with various skull motifs, and watched as the figure lifted the helmet from its head, revealing a pale green orc head with no hair and gleaming ice blue eyes. He uttered a soft grunt in greeting, which Talizin returned with a quick nod, before standing beside Talizin.

"Dirk's getting the mages into position. We can begin within a few moments, once we get the all clear." The orc uttered softly, his soft voice a contrast to his hulking form and attire. Talizin nodded and crossed his arms. Looking down, Talizin said nothing for a few seconds before slightly turning his head to the orc.

"Be honest with me Torun, what do you think of our chances?" Talizin waited as the orc grunted and shook his head.

"I do not have high hopes. This is risky. The Banshee Queen is not even half a days ride from here, and once this is done, we will be on our own. If they don't take us, then we may very well have doomed ourselves." Torun solemnly looked at Talizin who nodded along to most of the orc's points and sighed, before returning his gaze to the townspeople. A stomping sound caused both to turn and see a female Tauren approach them, clenching her three fingers into a fist and bumping the area over her heart, making Talizin and Torun relax and return the gesture. She looked as a solemn as the two of them, her hands rubbing nervously.

"The mages are in position, and Dirk and his Deathstalkers are poised above the more umm competent magically inclined. We can begin at any time Talizin." Her voice teetered near the end and Talizin's expression softened at the display, walking over he placed a hand against her shoulder and looked as best he could into her eyes.

"Thank you Ceria." Talizin quirked the faintest smile he could, knowing it seemed forced but hoped she saw and felt the sincerity of his words. Her eyes glazed a bit and she quickly tapped her chest again in the salute before walking off, her thudding footfalls quickly quieting as she went. Talizin sighed heavily and turned to face the fields outside of the city.

Torun placed his helmet back on and took his runed greatsword off his back and readied himself, going as still as a statue and the sounds of softly crackling ice filled the air. Talizin turned to a brazier nearby and raised his right hand to shoot a small fire bolt into it which ignited the once cool ashes and embers into a small fire. Raising his left hand, a series of small arcane runes encircled his forearm glowing a soft pinkish purple before he swiftly pointed his hand to the sky and a blast of arcane light shot from his hand into the sky. Turning back to the brazier, Talizin took the flame into his right hand and fired another fire bolt into the fields, before lowering both arms and flexing his fingers, and spreading his legs, bending his knees while he bent slightly forward. Bright red arcane runes formed in his hands as he slowly rose back to full height and with a yell swung his arms into the air.

A tall column of fire erupted in the fields, ending slight above the walls, and with another yell Talizin drew his arms in and threw them out to his sides, causing the column to erupt into a large wall that quickly traveled outward to the left and right, torching the wheat and scaring any farmer who saw the hungry flames. Talizin's long ears twitched as the sounds of explosions thundered behind him, his expression hardening into a stoic grimace. His gaze tracking a few farmhands that grabbed the nearest mount they could, before riding out for Orgrimmar.

It had begun.

A few moments before ...

Mayura was having a good day.

Since she had been chosen to act as governor over this city by Lady Sylvanas, her clan had regarded her with the highest of praises, even overlooking her parlays with demons and studies into the ways of the warlock. She made sure there was no Alliance activity going on nearby and kept supplies flowing to Orgrimmar, and other nearby villages, while also collecting a tax for the work of her people.

Mayura smirked, her small tusks pressing against her upper lip as she did, and rubbed her two fingered hands together. She looked over at the blood elf demon hunter chained up to the wall in her makeshift throne room, and her smirk widened as she sauntered over to the elf. He was a fine specimen, once. He, now, was thin and gaunt from barely being fed and possibly from the poison that kept him from utilizing his powers against her. Only in some basic pants,he had seen better days as his blonde hair was oily and lifeless, his skin pale and his face constantly grimacing. Hearing her footfalls, he opened his cloth covered eyes to glare at the troll. He grimaced as she gripped his face and looked into those burning feel green eyes.

"How is mah pet today? Ya' stomach still givin' ya' da cramps? Ya' know I can make dat all go away, if ya' just tell meh what I want ta know," Mayura smirked as he tried to recoil from her touch, letting a bit of fel fire burn in her hand, enjoying the quiet groans and the slight smell of burning flesh filled her nose.

"F-fuck y-y-you, yo-you witch." Mayura smiled at his defiance, it always made the highlight of her day. Raising her other hand, she prepped a handful of fel fire when a shockwave shook the ground under her feet. Even the prisoner looked confused. Mayura heard a pop and turned to see Talizin glaring at her.

"Talizin, what in da name of da Loa i-," Mayura was cut off and felt the breath leave her lungs as a pink purple bolt of arcane power slammed into her and blasted her into the wall, cracking it slightly, she groaned as she slid down and fell to her knees.

He kept quiet as he blasted the chains off of the demon Hunter before raising his hands, which glowed a bright light blue before waving them and a swirling circle appeared, tearing through reality as two other blood elf demon hunters ran through, picking up their comrade and ran back through. Talizin snapped his fingers and the portal snapped shut.

Mayura picked herself off the ground and glared at Talizin who stoically stared back. In an instant, Talizin raised his hands which glowed pink purple and pointed them at Mayura who gathered fel fire in one hand and a shadow bolt in the other.

Meanwhile …

Torun grunted as he swung his blade and cut down another two warriors who had ran up to him, while freezing a few others still so as to help his allies. His cold blue eyes scanned the chaos, looking for another opportunity to assist in the battle.

After Talizin had teleported himself to Mayura, Torun began helping their people to get to the back of the city, where the mages would be waiting. Torun huffed as he flicked a troll monk in the head, and barely paid any attention to him as he fell unconscious. Things were going smoothly, and that made Torun worry.

Suddenly, a patch of brambles shot out from the ground and bound Torun, holding him in place. Looking to the left, he saw a troll shaman holding his hands out to him, before he raised one hand and lightning crackled in his hand. Torun furrowed his brow and braced himself for the barrage of electrical wrath.

It never came.

A swift movement of something over the troll's neck and blood jettisoned out of the wounds as the troll gasped and choked. As he fell, a shimmering woosh sounded as a forsaken rogue stood with knives bloodied, staring right at Torun. Inhaling and grunting, Torun froze the Vlvines and shattered them. Moving over to the fellow undead he nodded.

"About time Dirk," Torun snorted softly, barely being heard of the sounds of thundering combat around them. The forsaken snorted and threw a spare dagger at goblin that was taking aim at them, and walking along with the hulking, cold orc.

"Shut it, you're not the one having to travel 'alfway 'cross the city while makin' sure we don' lose to many to the bitch's people. Not to mention I've got a searin' migraine from Kira an' 'er healin'." Dirk said, wiping his nose with his forearm, before looking down and shaking his head, jumping to avoid a low sweep by a surprise orc, Torun simply flicked his wrist and some of his forearm back, the edge of his blade finding purchase in the orc's skull with a wet schulk. Half heartedly, he kicked the corpse off and watched as Dirk reappeared a few feet away, stabbing his daggers into a tauren's back and throwing them off a troll. Torun walked over to Dirka and the two continued on.

"How bad were things on your side?" Torun asked, glancing down at the smaller undead.

"Not too bad, a few wounded 'ere an' there but nothin' too serious. So far, so good," Torun didn't miss the tension in those last four words, he shared that notion as well. Pushing aside his concerns, Torun grunted and jerked his head forward, and the two broke out into a dead sprint. As they ran Torun stopped for a second and looking at the chaos, raised his blade and pointed it in the direction of Dirk and their destination, the back of the city.

"FORWARD!!!"

The battle had been going on for some time; Mayura would send shadowbolts, fel firebolts, and various other demon touched magic at Talizin, who would either deflect the attack with an arcane barrier or block it with a full body barrier then retaliate, in which Mayura dodged. It had become a sort of back and forth, and every time Mayura had attempted to summon a demon to aid her, Talizin would assault her relentlessly and breaking her concentration upon the incantations. Mayura gritted her teeth as Talizin calmly waved his hands, runes and magic glowing and pulsing in his hands as he shifted around the room.

Growling, Mayura raised her hands and swung them back down, a storm of fel fire raining down upon Talizin, who blinked and in a curving throw motion, fired an arcane bolt that smacked into Mayura's face. A tooth flew out and Mayura staggered from the impact. In the same fluid motion, Talizin raised his right hand and let forth barrage of arcane missiles which all hit Mayura dead on, flinging her against her throne, cracking it and she fell first onto the arms of the throne before rolling onto the ground, a pained groan sounding from her prone form. Talizin watched her, hands to his side and he stood straight. Using the throne to help herself up, Mayura growls before snapping her finger. A troll rogue and a goblin with a firearm jumped from the upper rafts, and stood near Talizin with glee and pride in their eyes. Talizin simply looked at both of them, unmoving, before recentering his gaze upon Mayura.

"W-well now Talizin," Mayura started, her accent making it sound like 'Talizan', "I can be mer-merciful ugh if ya' apologize. Jus' prostrate ya'self and I might spare ya' mon," Mayura said with a slight wheeze to her voice, confidence oozing from the words as she stood, still leaning some of her weight against the cracked throne.

Talizin again shifted his gaze around to the goons that were tense with anticipation. Unknown to Mayura, he was running low on mana which was a factor when he considered that the plan revolved around a lot of his spellcasting and slinging. This, while a factor he hadn't truly considered in this duel, was certainly not unwelcome. He raised his gaze to Mayura's sickly yellow eyes with confidence and fear swimming in their pools and he shook his head.

"You've made a mistake." Mayura raised a pierced brow, and smirked. She lifted her right hand, and pointed her index finger forward.

"Kill him!"

Talizin threw his arms up and at the goons, before flexing his fingers and a bright blue light filled the chamber. The goblin and troll screamed in agony and Mayura watched on, her confidence evaporating in seconds. Thin, wrinkly and lifeless, the goons feel to their faces as Talizin's body shook and glowed with arcane light, his eyes becoming blue and bright as the mana flowed into his body. Mayura jerked back a bit with a scream and threw a shadowbolt at him with as much power as she could pack, sending the dark bolt flying at him.

He raised his hand and caught the bolt in an arcane field.

Mayura gawked and screamed more, but before she could move, Talizin shot the bolt back and it hit Mayura dead in the chest, sending her flying again into the throne and stunning her. Talizin took a step forward and blinked, standing in front of the downed troll warlock. She raised her hands, and started to babble incoherently, but he raised his arm extended his index and middle finger and thrust them toward her forehead, a flash of pink purple blurred and Mayura's head snapped back.

Talizin exhaled. Then he panted a bit, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. As he stood in the room alone, he grabbed Mayura's body and moved it to the floor, before firing a firebolt at the throne, watching as it ignited and burned. Talizin's ear twitched and he swung around, magic encircling his arms as he readied his attack.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Easy it's me!" Dirk yelled, dropping his invisibility and holding his hands up. Talizin sighed and the magic faded from his arms as he blinked to the bottom of the small stairway.

"Status?" Talizin asked when he reappeared at the bottom, walking briskly over to the undead who seemingly appeared tense and relieved all at once.

"Goin' well, but I advise we move. Banshee's on 'er way an' I'd rather be 'alfway 'cross Azeroth 'fore she gets 'ere," Dirk said motioning to the door and tilted his head when Talizin shook his. Muttering 'no time' Talizin grabbed Dirk and grabbed the air with his left thumb, index and middle fingers, as blue light once again filled the room and within ten seconds, Talizin released his grasp and the two vanished into thin air. The throne burned and smoke filled the rafts of the chamber.

Talizin's vision was immediately filled with their forces keeping the others safe, and covering the three portals that were spinning and glowing a bright blue as various people ran into them, and judging by how few were guarding the area, everything was going according to plan. Talizin glanced around and saw a hulking black mass running towards them and he looked into Torun's icy cold eyes as he skidded to a stop beside him and Dirk, who he released.

"About time! Hurry up and go Dirk! Take the rest of your rogues and get through! She'll be here any- TALIZIN SHIELD NOW!!" Torun turned and faced the remaining people and yelled out "ARROWS!! EVERYONE INTO THE PORTALS NOW!!"

Talizin swiftly threw his arms out and a large pink dome covered the area, and he watched as hundreds of arrows slammed into the magical barrier, making a dull thudding sound, added to when fireballs and other larger projectiles followed. Every collision with the barrier made Talizin wince, and as he looked around he noticed a figure in the smoke near a couple buildings a few yards away. His eyes widened.

It was a troll friend of his, named Komak.

Gritting his teeth, he lowered the barrier as Dirk and his rogues ran through, hearing the snaps of the other two portals closing, and he ran. He formed two smaller shields around his hands and raised them to deflect any arrows. Komak was running scared, screaming as projectiles rained down around him.

Talizin skid to a halt as a fireball landed a few feet in front of him, and seeing the distance between Him and Komak, began casting another portal spell. He waited and as a burning rock landed behind Komak, sending him flying, Talizin curve threw the portal so that it was horizontal to the ground, and smiled when Komak fell through and hearing him land near the portal behind him was enough to fill him with elation. He quickly threw up a medium barrier and walked backwards to the portal.

Seeing a hint of Sylvanas, Talizin allowed himself a smirk as the Banshee Queen looked quite displeased, even angry. As he walked backward, he could feel the sense of victory taking hold of him. They had done it!

The snap of the portal behind him closing cause that elation to turn to ice in his veins.

Mere moments earlier …

Komak felt his spirit die when the portal behind him snapped shut.

He and Torun had just made it through, announcing that Talizin was the only one left and that they were victorious. A few of the boats had already gone under the fear that the Horde would be on their trails swiftly, and those who remained cheered.

Then the portal closed. With Talizin still on the other side.

"Komak! Get another portal up quick!" Torun yelled, placing a hand on the young troll's shoulder and shaking a bit. Komak, however, began to weep.

"I'm no portal thrower mon, I be a frost mage!" Komak cried, the tears rolling down his eyes as the doom of the situation was made more and more apparent. Torun grunted and ran to the two boats left and stomped all over them yelling and crying out for a mage. Komak looked back at the place the portal had been, and lowered his head.

They had lost one of their own at the very end.

Talizin cursed every conceivable entity that popped into his mind as he deflected a few more arrows before blasting a few undead hunters away from his position, and flinging down arcane traps on the ground. After the portal had shut, Talizin began playing keep away with Sylvanas' forces as best as he could with his quickly dwindling mana reserves. His mind working in overdrive as adrenaline and fear pumped through his system.

He couldn't just open a portal to the others, with no one here to divert their attention, the Horde forces would plainly see the place he intended to teleport too and have a trail with which to hunt the runaways. He didn't know any spells to Stormwind or any Alliance held territory over in the Eastern Kingdoms, so that was dead end as well. Groaning, he realized it was time to act, he couldn't hold the shields forever, not when he need as much mana as he could spare for the teleport. His mind set, he blasted another wave at the approaching threats and began casting.

Just as he finished and felt himself about to teleport, two arrows struck him; one in his shoulder, the other his hip, and in the shock and pain of the moment, he released the magic in his fingers as he fell back from the force of the arrows impact.

A dozen arrows soon struck the ground where he had been standing near moments ago.

The Azuremyst Isles …

Mahrix smiled as she walked through the darkening woods of Azuremyst Isle. The night was always her favorite time of day, she could sit and admire the beauty of Azeroth at night with ease. Hearing hooves behind her, she turned and smiled at her companions.

"You two sure you don't need a minute? I do not mind resting," Mahrix said softly in draenei. Two hulking draenei appeared through the trees. One was an older looking Lightforged draenei decked out in glowing paladin armor, like she was, with a sword and shield on his back. The other, while a bit thinner than the first draenei and was not Lightforged, was no less muscular and decked out in paladin armor, but he had a crystal warhammer that he held and propped against his shoulder.

"No child, I am fine, and so is Aeutun. Right, dear friend?" the elder draenei teased, laughing as Aeutun scowled at him before chuckling along with them.

"Of course Ensun. Mahrix if you want to stop and admire the environs, we won't mind you know. Light, we're likely to join you, but then patrol would never get done," Aeutun spoke softly, glancing tenderly at Mahrix who only smiled and looked around.

"True my old friend true. So, how about we-" Mahrix froze and the others did as well when a loud popping noise rang out. Drawing their weapons, they ran towards the sound and it's last location. Mahrix wondered if it was a blood elf raid again, they had been pretty active lately and it had been wearing out the draenei immensely. Halting suddenly and raising her greatsword, she cautiously stepped into a clearing.

Laying in the middle of said clearing was a blood elf with two arrows sticking out of him. She approached slowly and when his ear twitched and he jerked his head up to look at her, all she could see was the fear in his eyes, before he passed out unconscious.


End file.
